DMP‘s Servants of Chaos festival in October 2024 heralded a triumphant return to the stage for ferocious Black Metal force, SLIDHR. Breaking years of silence, they unleashed a relentless performance which embodied the essence of their unyielding Black Metal artistry.
On the festival’s second day, SLIDHR took the stage after LIGHT OF THE MORNING STAR, building upon an aura of ominous majesty. Their unrelenting performance, propelled by blistering speed, brought to life both the ferocity of celebrated latest album “White Hart!” and the crushing weight of the band’s earlier works. Adding to the enigmatic atmosphere, Dungeon Synth act GEHEIMNISKNECHT framed the show with an eerie introduction and conclusion, immersing the audience in an esoteric haze.
Recorded at Servants of Chaos Festival on October 18-19, 2024 Resonanzwerk, Oberhausen, Germany Debemur Morti Productions & Parasite Gallows Booking
Event Recording & Postproduction: tomanek|media
SLIDHR live line-up:
JD – vocals, guitar BE – drums SD – guitar AnV – bass Geheimnisknecht – synth (intro + outro)
Setlist:
01. Sentient Flames Consume 02. Wall of the Reptile 03. Belief Burned as Incense 04. Hex 05. White Hart! 06. What the Gauntlet Bestows 07. The Paupers’ Bones
“The entity of SLIDHR is that of pure hopelessness and desolation. Scion of the Black Stream, flowing into hollow vessels and the miasma to all creatures of the earth. SLIDHR is the illumination of the hidden serpent, removed of its black shroud, draining the vitality of very existence itself.
An understanding of SLIDHR is an understanding of the overwhelming essence of death.
SLIDHR is the exultation to a dead realm, itself a spark in a realm of nothingness, so far removed from recurring banality. It is creeping death enveloping the empty body of man, a great plague decimating mortal unity.”
Formed in 2005 and hailing from Dublin, Ireland, SLIDHR is an immersive maelstrom of venomously misanthropic Black Metal. The band’s name derives from the Sliðr, a river flowing through Hel, the land of the dead in Norse mythology – a moniker which befits their dark enigmatic power.
Founded as a solo project by artist, tattooist and bassist/guitarist/vocalist Joseph Deegan, since 2013 the band has featured Icelandic drummer Bjarni Einarsson (SINMARA, ALMYRKVI) and more recently bassist Stefan Dietz.
Following the 2006 cassette release of “Demo 1” (Debemur Morti Productions), the band has unleashed two full-length albums – “Deluge” (2013, DMP) and “The Futile Fires Of Man” (2018, Ván Records) – in addition to two EPs and two split releases. The abyssal atmosphere of these records in combination with furiously intense select live performances at festivals such as Inferno, Prague Death Mass, Caledonian Darkness and Ascension has established SLIDHR as a force to be reckoned with.
A highly-anticipated third long player entitled “White Hart!” was released via DMP at the end of 2023.
HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS have released the new single ‘Passion Rules The Game’.
The song is taken from the new studio album “What About Love?”, which will be released on 11 April on Metalville Records.
Herman about “Passion Rules The Game”: “I wrote this song with Klaus Meine in 1988 for the Scorpions. Made a new version on this record! The new vocal arrangements have changed the song even more positively! A new guitar solo has also been added!”
Welcome to our journey back to the future! Herman Rarebell & Friends take you back to the eighties and together we return to our very time with the greatest music of this powerful decade. Herman has chosen twelve songs to re-record with good friends and great musicians. As a tribute to the greatest hits of a time that was a golden age for him personally. Former Black Sabbath bassist Bob Daisley can be heard on this album, as can Dann Huff, who can be heard as a studio musician on some of the greatest albums in pop history, as well as Howard Leese from the legendary US rockers Heart and singer Michael Voss (Casanova, Mad Max, Michael Schenker). What an ensemble, what a pleasure.
Herman says about this time: “I think that more powerful music has never been created before or since. It was the golden age for me, I enjoyed it. We traveled the world with the Scorpions, we met people from all cultures. It was one big rush. Anything was possible at any time. With this album, I don’t just want to bring back memories of the great hits of the eighties. It’s not just about the melodies and rhythms that I miss today. Above all, it’s about the feeling that these songs convey. The love, the courage, the optimism that is in them. I think a lot of that has been lost. The groove in “Here I go again”, the larger-than-life chorus of “I Love Rock’n’Roll” and the unshakeable power of “Rock You Like A Hurricane”. The love and longing of “I want to know what Love is”. It’s no wonder that these songs have held a place in people’s hearts for four decades. For me, the power, the special spirit of the eighties is in every chord of these songs, every hit on the bass drum. Every take we recorded for this album was pure pleasure. Friends who play great music. We hope you feel what we’ve put into these new recordings: Love, power, optimism! For me, that’s the power of the eighties! Anyone who was there will remember. And anyone who missed it deserves to relive it, at least in this way.
With this in mind: Here I am – Rock you like a Hurricane!”
The album was produced by Herman Rarebell and Michael Voss at Kidwood Studios in Münstertal, Black Forest.
LINE UP Herman Rarebell – Drums
HERMAN’s FRIENDS: Michael Voss – Vocals & Guitars Van de Forst – Vocals, Acoustic Guitars & Keyboards Dann Huff – Lead Guitars Howard Leese – Lead Guitars Bob Daisley – Bass Neil Carter – Keyboards Jim Vallance – Keyboards Eva von der Forst – Backing Vocals Lexus de la Foret – Backing Vocals
An explosion of strength and elegance, a journey through energy and poetry: ELEMENT returns with their highly anticipated album “Essence of Earth”, available now on all digital platforms and in major specialized stores, thanks to Wanikiya Record.
An intense and visionary work that blends the power of rock with the sophistication of jazz, telling stories of resilience, rebirth, and passion. “Essence of Earth” is not just music—it’s an experience that traverses the elements of nature and the deepest emotions, creating a compelling and nuanced sonic contrast.
A PERFECT ALCHEMY OF TALENT AND PASSION
The project is born from the extraordinary collaboration between guitarist Antonio Pollizzi and pianist Giusy Morabito, two artists who have crafted a unique synergy, balancing the power of six strings with the delicacy of jazz piano. Enriching the band are three talented musicians who have helped turn this album into a true masterpiece:
🎵 Omar Cappetti (drums – Any Face, Headless Ghost) 🎵 Christian Polloni (bass) 🎵 Maxime Tosi (vocals)
Each track in “Essence of Earth” is a fragment of life, a journey where music becomes the storyteller of authentic and powerful stories.
The album is available in digital format on all major global music stores, on the Japanese Wanikiya Record shop, and via Crash Sound Distribution.
“Crucify This!”, the new album by Bonn Area thrashers FABULOUS DESASTER, will be released on April 17th! With a playing time of a good 45 minutes, you can expect 11 new tracks with, as on the previous albums, fast and furious speed thrash songs with an extremely high energy level. On “Crucify This!”, the band are even more varied than before, unpacking more complex songs and a mid-tempo steamroller alongside the typical high-speed tracks.
With “Coffin Dwellers” you can now get a first taste on the MDD YouTube channel, which is guaranteed to screw your neck off. The tracklist of the album you can find below. The album will be released not only on CD but also as a vinyl edition at a later date. Check it out!
Album Tracklist 1. Menace To Sobriety 2. Misanthropolis 3. Trenchmouth 4. Coffin Dwellers 5. Crucify This! 6. Rip It Up 7. A Hard Day´s Fight 8. May Your Mother Wear Black 9. Ten Year Chaos 10. Before The War 11. Trapped In The Dark
He’s 16 years old, a TikTok sensation, and already one of the most exciting names in the alternative music scene. Now, STORM is releasing Black Hole – an explosive pop-punk track bursting with nostalgia, energy, and youthful rawness. With Blink-182 vibes and a chorus that hits like a bullet, this is a song that demands to be played loud.
From Underdog To Favorite Black Hole started out as a bit of an underdog, but quickly grew to become one of the artists biggest favorites. STORM explains:
“Johan (from OnklP og De Fjerne Slektningene) and I wanted to create a real pop-punk banger, and that’s exactly what we did. At first, a song we were working on during the same period, ‘After a Lie,’ got the most attention. But after a long studio session, I played ‘Black Hole’ for producer Erlend Torheim. He became immediately hooked, and there was no doubt: ‘This HAS to be a single!'”
The result? A song that’s everything you want from pop-punk: fast, playful, and irresistibly catchy.
TikTok-Viral And International Hype STORM, aka Leo Davadi Sundli, has already made a name for himself as one of the most exciting new artists right now. With millions of views on TikTok and a fanbase growing at an incredible pace, he has secured his place both in the alternative scene and in the mainstream. In February, he was also named “Name of the Month” by GAFFA Nordics.
Live, he has dominated stages at festivals such as Tons of Rock, Summer Breeze Open Air and even the legendary Download Festival in the UK. He has even brought heavy music to prime-time television in Norway – a testament to STORM being an artist who breaks barriers.
A New Generation Of Heavy Music With inspiration from bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Falling in Reverse, STORM has created a sound that blends catchy hooks, brutal riffs, and massive breakdowns, but he is by no means confined to metalcore. He fearlessly experiments with genres, which has earned him a unique position in today’s music scene.
More Music Coming! 2025 will be a big year for STORM, with more singles on the way and rumors already swirling about a debut album. But first, it’s Black Hole that’s taking center stage – a song that’s guaranteed to get stuck in your head!
Emo rock revivalists THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT—Lee Jennings (Vocals), Cody Weissinger (Guitar), Caleb Freihaut (Guitar/Auxiliary), Robert Weston (Bass), and Homer Umbanhowar (Drums)—today (March 21) have unveiled the strikingly cinematic video for “Holy Water.” Watch THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT with Ivan Moody, lead singer of Five Finger Death Punch, in the video HERE and listen to the song HERE.
“Holy Water” features Moody’s powerful and distinctively rugged guest vocals and is taken from the deluxe edition of THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT’s critically acclaimed second album GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY, out June 13 via Better Noise Music. “Holy Water” debuted at #21 on Billboard’s “Mainstream Rock Tracks” chart at #21 and is now positioned at #14.
“Holy Water” is brought to life in a gothic-style video directed by Michael Lombardi of Better Noise Films, an affiliate of Better Noise Music. The video’s narrative outlines the origin of how singer Lee Jennings got his power to ignite the souls of fans around the world. “We filmed Ivan Moody deep in the desert of Prescott, Arizona on top of a thousand-foot canyon,” says Lombardi. “We then had to shoot THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT on a day off between shows in Philadelphia and New York City. This created a challenge in finding the epic gothic-style church location I needed. After scouting several locations, I ended up finding a phenomenal old and abandoned church in the Poconos in Pennsylvania.”
“Filming the ‘Holy Water’ music video was an absolutely insane experience,” declares singer Lee Jennings. “The production was on another level—every detail, every shot, just completely unreal. Michael Lombardi brought a vision to this that was bigger than we ever imagined, turning it into a full-on cinematic experience. And having Ivan Moody be a part of it? That was next level. His energy and presence took everything to a whole new dimension. We can’t wait for everyone to see what we created—it’s dark, intense, and something truly special.”
Pre-orders for the digital, CD and vinyl copies of the deluxe edition of GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY are available here. The digital deluxe collection will include 24 songs, including “Holy Water” feat. Ivan Moody, songs from the CASSANOVA EP and the FROM BEYOND THE ABYSS EP, as well as the recently released version of “Hearse for Two” feat. Lilith Czar and three brand new songs, “Skinny Lies,” “Evergreen,” and “Lost Boy.” The vinyl and CD two-disc deluxe packages feature 21 tracks, one of which is exclusive to the physical formats (“Friends Like These”).
“‘Holy Water’ has always been one of the most personal and cathartic songs I’ve ever written,” explains THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT’s Lee Jennings. “It’s about confronting your darkest moments and finding the strength to cleanse yourself of the weight they carry. Seeing the connection it’s made with fans, especially during our live shows, has been beyond powerful—watching the crowd scream the lyrics back at us is proof that music really can heal. Having Ivan Moody join us on this track took it to another level. His energy, passion, and personal story made him the perfect voice to help tell this chapter, and we couldn’t be more honored to have him be part of it.”
“Before our tour together, I wasn’t too familiar with The Funeral Portrait’s music, so I didn’t know what to expect,” says Ivan Moody. “But after watching them night after night, seeing how they commanded the stage and connected with the crowd, I was absolutely hooked. The passion, intensity, and raw emotion they bring to their performances make them one of the most exciting new bands out there. And Lee’s voice? Absolutely incredible—one of my favorite new singers! We had talked about collaborating before the tour, but the timing never worked out. Then, while speeding down the highway, I heard ‘Holy Water’ on the radio and couldn’t help but sing along. What an amazing track! It immediately brought back the idea of working together, so I hit up Lee about the possibility of me redoing the song with them. Luckily, he was all in—and here we are….the rest is history.”
“Holy Water” was described by MetalPlanetMusic.com in a September 8, 2024 review as “a full-on arena anthem sound that hits straight between the ears. The beat is hard and uncompromising, with the dual guitar riffs forcing the emotion down your throat. The choral harmony during the bridge gives the track a ‘it’s our song, and we’re going to do what the fuck we want to’ vibe. It’s a real monster of a track.”
GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY, released September 13, 2024 via Better Noise Music, consists of 14 tracks of theatrical, dramatic, unapologetic, full-throated flair with guest appearances from Bert McCracken of The Used, Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills, Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria, and Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire. Get a copy of GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY on CD or digital download now at https://thefuneralportrait.ffm.to/gfsc
In touring news, THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT has been bringing their message to the masses with an aggressive touring plan that continues throughout 2025. The band recently wrapped up a nationwide trek with Catch Your Breath & Archers, and they’ll soon head out for a handful of shows with Underoath (April 14-16). Next comes a new tour with Ice Nine Kills starting April 30, as well as appearances as part of the Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach, CA on July 26 and 27, and the Louder Than Life, Rocklahoma, Welcome To Rockville, and Rock Fest summer festivals.
With The Used: Sun 4/6 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Wed 4/9 Boston, MA House of Blues Mon 4/21 New York, NY Irving Plaza
With Underoath: Mon 4/14 Bloomington, IL The Castle Theatre Tue 4/15 Knoxville, TN The Mill & Mine Wed 4/16 Pensacola, FL Vinyl Music Hall
With Ice Nine Kills: Thu 4/30 Raleigh, NC The Ritz Sat 5/3 Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre (KUPD UFEST) Tue 5/6 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater Fri 5/9 Milwaukee, WI The Rave Sat 5/10 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple (FESTIVAL) Tue 5/13 Minneapolis, MN The Fillmore Minneapolis Sat 5/17 Daytona Beach, FL Welcome To Rockville (FESTIVAL) Sun 5/18 Chicago, IL Riviera Theater Tue 5/20 Grand Rapids, MI GLC at 20 Monroe Sat 5/24 Montclair, NJ Wellmont Theatre Thu 5/29 San Antonio, TX Aztec Theatre Sun 6/1 Houston, TX House of Blues Wed 6/4 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle Sun 6/8 New Orleans, LA The Fillmore (New Orleans) Wed 6/11 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
Festivals: Thu 7/17 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum (WHQG Radio Show) Fri 7/18 Grand Rapids, MI Upheaval Festival Sat 7/19 Cadott, WI Rock Fest Sat 7/26 Long Beach, CA Warped Tour Sun 7/27 Long Beach, CA Warped Tour Sun 8/31 Pryor, OK Rocklahoma Sat 9/20 Louisville, KY Louder Than Life Sat 11/15 Orlando, FL Warped Tour
With The Rasmus: 11/11 Hamburg, Markthalle (DE) 11/12 Berlin, Metropol (DE) 11/13 Warsaw, Stodola (PL) 11/14 Brno, Sono Centrum (CZ) 11/15 Budapest, Barba Negra (HU) 11/16 Vienna, Simm City (AT) 11/17 Munich, Technikum (DE) 11/18 Milan, Alcatraz (IT) 11/20 Zurich, Komplex 457 (CH) 11/21 Karlsruhe, Substage (DE) 11/22 Saarbrucken, Garage (DE) 11/23 Frankfurt, Batschkapp (DE) 11/25 Cologne, Live Music Hall (DE) 11/26 Utrecht, Tivoli (NL) 11/27 Antwerp, Trix (BE) 11/28 Paris, La Cigale (FR) 11/30 Glasgow, SWG3 Galvanizers (GB) 12/1 Manchester, O2 Ritz (GB) 12/2 Cardiff, Great Hall (GB) 12/4 London, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (GB) 12/5 Southampton, 1865 (GB) 12/6 Nottingham, Rock City (GB)
Here’s the track list for GREETINGS FROM SUFFOCATE CITY deluxe:
CD/VINYL:
Suffocate City (feat. Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills)
Holy Water (feat. Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch)
Blood Mother
Doom and Gloom
Dark Thoughts
You’re So Ugly When You Cry (feat. Bert McCracken of The Used)
Chernobyl
Dopamine
Voodoo Doll
Happier Than You
Alien
Generation Psycho
Stay Weird
Hearse for Two (feat. Lilith Czar)
Evergreen
Skinny Lies
Lost Boy
Stay Weird (Beyond The Abyss)
Suffocate City (LIVE)
Alien (demo)
Friends Like These *
*Vinyl & CD Exclusive
DIGITAL:
Suffocate City (feat. Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills)
Holy Water (feat. Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch)
Blood Mother
Doom and Gloom
Dark Thoughts
You’re So Ugly When You Cry (feat. Bert McCracken of The Used)
Chernobyl
Dopamine
Voodoo Doll
Happier Than You
Alien
Generation Psycho
Stay Weird
Hearse for Two (feat. Lilith Czar)
Evergreen
Skinny Lies
Lost Boy
Stay Weird (Beyond The Abyss)
Suffocate City (LIVE)
Alien (demo)
Holy Water
Dark Thoughts (feat. Danny Worsnop)
Voodoo Doll (feat. Eva Under Fire)
Hearse For Two
Chief Shock Video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
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